WORCESTER is getting its second Kentucky Fried Chicken, with the famous chain securing a deal for a brand new drive-through restaurant.

The firm will open its second branch in the city as part of a multi-million pound development off Nunnery Way near the M5, which will transform 1.4 acres of open fields.

Worcester City Council's planning committee yesterday approved the scheme, despite concerns from local residents over litter and from the police over the site's potential to attract boy racers.

But councillors were told a strict litter management plan will be in place and the car park will feature rising bollards to keep any troublemakers out.

The new KFC will sit opposite a new restaurant and bar, which will be called the Farmhouse Inn. Both developments will form part of a big business park, which will create 400 jobs on land once earmarked for a new Worcester City FC stadium.

KFC's decision comes nearly seven years after it opened its first Worcester outlet at Blackpole Retail Park in Warndon, which saw such high demand it sparked 48 hours of gridlock on the roads.

The Nunnery Way KFC will open from 7am until midnight seven-days-a-week and feature outdoor seating, as well as a drive-through taking drivers straight out onto the A44 near the M5 and County Hall.

It was approved despite concern from some councillors about litter, with many of them citing problems near the KFC in Blackpole, which have been blamed for attracting seagulls and seen regular enforcement action.

Planning chiefs say the chain will be forced to follow a strict "litter management plan" to keep it clean, and have secured a deal where the car park will feature rising bollards at night to keep out boy racers, an issue police raised concerns about when the plans for the site were submitted.

The Farmhouse Inn will be operated by Greene King, with 126 tree-lined parking spaces being created on the site to serve both venues.

Speaking during the committee meeting, Cllr Pat Agar said: "The litter management plan is essential.

"The experience of Warndon was that we had to do enforcement activity regularly, I really don't want to have to do that with this."

Cllr Alan Feeney said: "I have no objection to the development, but given the issues with KFC at Blackpole what assurances have we got from the developers over this?"

Alan Coleman, a senior planning officer, told them a strict litter plan would be in action, saying: "We are very confident it will address those concerns, and most importantly it is enforceable."

In response to concerns from Cllr Louis Stephen about congestion and public transport, he said the site is near a bus route and that a cycle path would run along it.

Cllr Chris Mitchell, planning committee chairman, said: "We are beginning to see development along this main highway, as it gets done we need to ensure we don't miss things, like making sure there's a cycle path all the way along and even a footbridge at some point."

KFC is expected to open by the spring, with both restaurants part of a major park set to include a car showroom and an array of business units.